Fireman&#39;s utility belt and attachment therefor



'Nm-241942., F; B. LUCAS. 2,302,997

FIRBIAN'SMTILITY BELT AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR Filed Jan', a, 1941 2 snets-shet-z Patented Nov. 24,I 1942 @UNITED STATES PTEN'lf-r l,oli-tier.

LFIREMANS UTILITY BELT AND ATTACHMENT THEREFOR l v Forrest B.` Lucas, DaytonyOh'io 1 ApplicationlJamlary 8, 1941, Serial No. 373,64@

6 claims.

My Iinvention relates to belts, and more particularly'to a utility belt adapted to be worn by firemen, miners, tree surgeons, telephone and telegraph linemen, construction engineers, build,-

ers, andl others who are requiredv to work above or` below the ground on temporary supports. `It is an object of this invention to provide an improved utility belt having a'versatile tool attachment adjustable for diierentpuses.

' Another object is to provide a belt of the character described having anladjustable cable and tool carried therebywhich is adapted for fasteningand-supporting the person wearing the belt or detachable for supporting a ladder, hose, or the like to a building or structure.

Another object is to devise an improved utility belty for firemen and the like wherein an adjustable attaching tool means is provided on the belt which may be manipulated to support another person, as when rescuing someone from a building, and which attachment may be used as a re escape as by sliding down a cable, rope or the like tothe ground from an elevated position.V

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel belt having versatile uses which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, durable,"and is very efficient in operation.

It is a further object to providean improved belt which can be employed with equal facility for-numerous uses and in such application' to f provide maximum eiiciency and safety and which is comfortable to wear and easy to manipulate.

A still further object is to provide animproved utility belt having an adjustablecable and tool attachment which can be readily Vworn by a person and quickly adjusted for various uses as required.

The `invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination of arrangement of the parts as hereinafter described and other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings, whereinV YFigure 1 illustrates in perspective my novel utility belt; f

Figure 2 is a similar View of the belt and attachment showing the parts detached to ill-ustrate-the construction more clearly;

AVFigure 3-is a perspective view illustrating the use of the utilitytool attachment of the belt for supporting the ladder to a wall or building;V

Figure4 Vis a similar perspective view showing the use of my invention for supporting a re hose to a wall or building structure;

-Figure is a fragmentary detailview illl'istrating the use of myyinvention for securing an operator toa ladder or thelike; Figure 6 isa fragmentary detail front view showing anoperator using the belt attachment for supporting-and'carrying another person on his back;

Figure 7 'is a similar View showing the position of the attachmentv as viewed from the rear;

Figures 8' and 9 are similarV views illustratingv the use of my belt attachment for supporting and carrying a person in iront of the operator;

Figure 10 is a detail-view illustrating the use of my beltand` attachment for temporarily supporting anoperator to a ladder or other structural means utilizing the ho'ok attached to th rope or cable means;

-Figure'll is another detail perspective view showing theyuse of Ymy belt-'and attachment as an emergency fire escape means whereby the operator slides down a rope or' cable suspendedfrom an elevated structure.- f Figure l2 is a view illustrating the use of my utility tool .attachment for removing shingles or the like as may be required by remen in the performance of their work; Figure l3'is a perspective view illustrating the use of my' belt and attachment for supporting and suspending the firemen utilizing one or moreV belt attachments 4joined together. Y

Referring to the drawings in detail, the novel belt of my invention, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,V comprises a belt body I5, which is pref- Y erably 21/2 to 3U in width to provide a comfortable member when thev belt is used to support the operator or to carry another person or object suspended from the wearer. This member may be madeV of canvas, leather, or suitable webbing of suflicient strength. On one end of the webbing is attached a leather extension I'I which is adjustably secured to the other end of the belt by means of an attaching buckle I9 which engages in the spaced holes 29, as shown in Figure 1. yThe buckle I9is attached to the end of f I the belt body I5 by means of a leather strap extension 22 riveted or otherwise fastened to the end o-f the belt body I5. The leather portion 22 forms a loop around the buckle I9 and is carried back, as at 24, under the webbing substantially an equal distance as the outer strap portion 22 andthe members attached together by riveting or sewing.

An iron snap 26 is also retained by the leather extension 22 between the end vof the webbing rs and buckle vla; as shown in Figure 1.. This 'snap comprises a loop 28 which is bent to ap- 2 proximately an 80 degrees angle with the snap member so that the snap will lie flat on the curved belt surface during use. The loop 28 also acts as a keeper for the free end of the strap l1 as at 29. The web belting member l5 is made of suicient length, preferably around 36 to 38 and is folded or turned back an inch or so at the ends to prevent fraying of the web fibers. A spanner wrench snap 30 is attached to the webbing I at approximately 8 to 10" from the end to which the belt body is fastened for providing means for securing auxiliary tools and the like to the belt during use.

A utility tool attachment is carried by the belt and forms one of the novel features of the belt..

This utility tool comprises a rope or cable 32 of suitable diameter as required and a ring 34 is fastened to one end and adapted to'be secured to the snap 26. This rope or cable is preferably r about 53 to 60 in length and on the opposite end a snap member 36 is provided for securing the end of the rope in the link or ring 34. The rope or cable 32 also carries a-hook 38 which is attached thereto by passing the rope through the eye portion 39 as illustrated in Figure 1. This hook is of substantial size, preferably. having about a 3 to 4 diameter opening and the hook point portion 46 is retained in a holster 42 pivotally attached,as at 44, to the belt. VFor pro' viding a tool for stripping shingles and prying structural materials apart, the end ofthe hook portion 46 is suitably sharpened and the point of the hook is carried in the holster to prevent injury to the operator. The rope or cable means 32 is of suicient length to fit any ordinary sized person and when not in use is supported on the webbing I5, as illustrated in Figure l,v and may be shortened or lengthened as desired to suit the particular purpose for which it is used.

In the use of my improved belt attachment, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, such` as for supporting a ladder or fire hose, the cable 32 may be fastened at one end tothe rung of a ladder, such as illustrated at 46, and knotted adjacent the hook 38 whereby the ladder can be supported on the wall or buildingstructure 48 by placing the hook over the edge thereof. In this instance, the utility tool is detached from the belt webbing l5 and is secured in place.,Y In a similar manner, a fire hose nozzle, generally designated 56, may be suitably secured tota window ledge or wall, as indicated at 52 in Figure 4. Adjustment of the slip knot 54 in the cable means 32 may be made to hold the nozzle in the desired position relative to the wall and the hook 38 placed over the edge of the ledge, as shown, to support the hose. 1

In the use of my improved belt for fastening a fireman or operator to a ladder, as shown in Figure 5, the cable or rope 32 is placed around a rung in a ladder 46, as shown at 55, and the snap on the 'end of the cable engaged lin the ring 34 of the belt so as to securely Afasten the rope 32 around the operator, as indicated at 51, and secure him safely to the ladder. A

In Figures `6 and 7 the use ofV my utility tool attachment cable means is illustrated forstrapping another person to. arescuer such as a fireman. In this instance, the cable 3 2 is engaged around the shoulder and beneath one arm of the fireman, as indicated at 59, and the person being carried supported on his back byY passing the rope or cable around the back of the person to be carried and under his armpit, as illustrated .inFigure 7. y

In Figures 8 and 9 the use of my attachment is illustrated for engaging around and supporting another person from behind. Such is often required when rescuing a fireman who has been overcome while supported on a ladder. This necessitates lifting the fireman up and away from the ladder before he can be removed, since it is the practice of firemen to place one leg over the rung of a ladder while directing fire fighting material onto conflagrations.

In Figure 10 a modified use of the auxiliary tool attachment of my belt is made wherein the hook 38 is employed for temporarily supporting the fireman or person using the belt to the rung of the ladder 46, similarly as shown in Figure 5. This use of the auxiliary attachment can be made where it is desired to provide more freedom andlength of supporting cable relative to the ladder.

Another use of my utility belt attachment is shown in Figure 11 when it is desired to slide down a rope as iniire escape. As illustrated, the cable means 32 is arranged in the form of a loop to support the body of a person, as indicated at 62, and in position to slide' down a rope or cable suspended as illustrated at 65. In

securing the belt lattachment about the rope (i5V preparatory to descending,one end of the cable 62 is passed through the ring 34 and around the rope 65, then snapped in the ring 34. The rope 65 is then wound twice around the hook 38vand passed upwardly through the hook as shown.` in Figure l1. By this ararngement, control of the rapidity of descent can be made by twisting the hook 38 or pinching together the lowermost cable section 61 through which the rope 65 passes.

A further use of my utility tool attachment is illustrated in Figure 12 Where the hookmember 38 is employed as a tool for removing shingles or the like building structural members, such as indicated at v69. i

In Figure 13a modified arrangement is shown wherein several auxiliary utility tool attachments are fastened together as illustrated and are arranged to support a fireman, such as indicated at 16, whereby he can suspend himself from a roof structure as illustrated. As shown the end hook member 38 may be suitably secured over a structural member, such as shown at 12 and arranged to support the reman. If desired, however the rope or cable means 32 may be engaged around a structural member and secured thereto, as illustrated in Figure 5. f

It will be, however, understood that various other methods may be employed for securing the auxiliary attachment to a ladder or other building structure depending upon the shape of the structure to which it is desired to be attached.

It will also be understood that my novel utility belt and attachment can be made in various sizes and lengths and can be used in many different ways aside from those illustrated in the drawings. It will therefore be seen that I have debised a belt of simplified construction and which possesses great utility.

, It will be further understood that my invention is not limited to the particularvdetails of construction andmethods of using the belt,.but4

that this invention can be modified to suit different conditions and uses without departing from the spirit andscope of my invention.l

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: l

; 1. As an article` of manufacture,- a utility belt comprising a flexible web body portion, buckle means fixed on one end of said web body, means comprising a perforated strap attached to the other end of said web body for adjustably fastening the 'ends of said web together, means comprising a tool attachment carried by said web portion, said tool attachment comprising a rope having a ring fixed at one end and a snap fastener at the other end, hook means attached to and slidable between the ends of said rope, and means comprising a holster attached to said web for supporting said hook.

2. As an article of manufacture, a utility belt comprising a web portion and attached strap members at the ends of relatively narrower Width than said web portion, means carried by said strap portion for fastening said web together to form a loop, auxiliary tool means attached to' said web portion, said tool means comprising a flexible cable length, hook means mounted on said cable, means carried by said web portion for releasably attaching said auxiliary tool means, and means comprising a, holster pivotally secured to said web means for retaining said hook.

3. As an article of manufacture, a utility belt comprising a flexible web portion provided with a buckle for fastening the ends of the web together, said web having a snap fastener secured adjacent one end and a hook supporting member secured adjacent the opposite end, and a tool attachment comprising a exible cable, a hook slidably positioned on said cable, a ring and snap fastener secured to opposite ends of said cable, said ring being adapted to be fastened to said web by said rst mentioned snap fastener and to receive said second mentioned snap fastener, said hook being free to slide along the body of said ilexible'cable to form a loop therein to position said hook upon said supporting member.

4. As an article of manufacture, a utility belt of the character described comprising a band applicable to the person of vthe user, a flexible length of rope detachable fastened to said band, tool means slidably retained on said rope between its ends, a snap fastening means on one end of said rope, ring means secured to the other end, said snap means being adapted to engage said ring means to fasten the ends of said rope together to form a loop, snap means attached to said band for engaging said ring and fastening said rope loop to said band, and means secured to said band to support said hook thereon in a position that said rope loop is carried parallel to said band.

5. An improved tool attachment comprising a rope length adapted to be doubled to t partiallyA around the person of the user, a ring and a snap fastener disposed on opposite ends of said rope for attaching the ends together to form a loop, and hook means having a closed eye slidably retained on said rope by said eye and adapted to be positioned in said loop in the end opposite to said ring and snap fastener, whereby the length of the rope can be supported from opposite ends of the loop formed thereby.

6. An improved utility belt comprising a belt body forming a band to be applied to the person of the user, means for fastening the ends of the belt body together to form a loop, means comprising a snap fastener attached adjacent one end of said .band and arranged to lie at on said band, means attached to vsaid band adjacent the opposite end thereof for supporting a hook, means comprising a flexible cable length detachable secured to said band, a ring and a snap fastening means attached to opposite ends of said cable, said second mentioned snap means being adapted to engage said ring to fasten the ends of said cable together to form a loop, and a hook slidably fastened on said cable length,

said rst mentioned snap means receiving said ring and said tool support receiving said hook to position said cable loop against said band and parallel thereto.

FORREST B. LUCAS. 

